Technical Field
The present invention relates to a door latch assembly for securing a door in a closed and/or otherwise locked position, and even more particularly, to a door latch assembly having movable latch plate for providing a smooth and quiet door closure when the door is transitioned to the closed position.
Introduction
In typical door installations, as the door is moved from an open position towards a closed position, a large force is oftentimes required to enable the door's bolt to lock into and otherwise engage a lock plate on the door jamb to secure the door in the closed position. Thus, in the case of a typical sliding door assembly, as the door is moved towards the closed position, an increased velocity/closing force is oftentimes required, especially with lightweight doors. This results in undesirable noise and/or large slamming forces against the door frame, potentially damaging the door or door frame. It is therefore the principal purpose of this invention to avoid these and other disadvantages of existing door latch assemblies.